


Healing in healing

by DS_ds



Category: Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery, Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Botany, F/M, Friendship, Healer, Medicine, Season 3 spoiler, cute friendly Shirbert moment, time Ka’kwet is rescued!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2019-11-01
Packaged: 2021-01-16 17:41:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21275141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DS_ds/pseuds/DS_ds
Summary: Ka’kwet is finally back from her school ‚adventure’ and has an exciting new plan for the future. Anne is there to help her on the way. There is an extra Shirbert moment of friendly talk (well, Gilbert again fails to grasp his true feelings) tugged at the end since Gilbert is also interested in new path of Ka’kwet.So it happens some short time after she comes back.





	1. Back home

**Author's Note:**

> Here is a little piece since I miss Ka’kwet and worry for her in the show and no fanfic I read covers the topic. It does not cover her rescue (so we can stay canon compliant for longer and I did not wish anyway to write that) but what happens to her lter.  
Hope you guys enjoy!
> 
> Note that I am no expert in Mi’kmaq beliefs, history, culture and so on - I did a brief research but if you spot a glaring inaccuracy, let me know.  
Also, let’s pretend Ka’kwet managed at least to improve her English a lot - otherwise longer dialogues would be a bit lame. So please humour me here :)

Anne and Ka’kwet were sitting at the bank of the small pond near Mi’kmaq village. It was beginning of the summer and the air was full of floral scents drifting with the warm wind. Weeping willow swayed its green wispy branches just above water surface and casted occasional shadows onto the girls when one of the branches blocked a sun ray or two from falling onto the black and red head. The village visible beyond the pond was bustling with its usual activities.

\- When I told you what school is back at Easter or when I saw you off at the train station - Anne sighed - never did I imagine that that school the government set up would be so different from the school I know. Why, it sounds from what you tell me to be more like the orphanage...

\- What is orphanage? - Ka’kwet asked.

She listened quietly to Anne’s carefully worded story of early part of her life. 

\- Yes, it was more like it. Dark. But there was a difference though. We kids stuck together. You know, when somebody would start to lose courage others would remind him or her that we are Mi’kmaqs and we are proud to be Mi’kmaqs. In secret we kept the real names between us. Still, some things were harder to keep...

Ka’kwet looked sadly at her reflection in gently rippling water. Where once her soft dark braids once framed her face there was now only clear water. She was so ashamed. Anne did not understand to full extent the importance of it for her friend, she knew it wasn’t vanity like it was mostly for her. Of course the fact it was not her decision to let them go made it worse. But still there was something more, linked more tightly to Ka’kwet’s inner beliefs and her identity...still she could relate at least at one plane to it.

\- I am so sorry for this - she simply said - I had to cut my hair once due to accident once and can at least promise you you will be back to being adorned by your beautiful long hair in less than a year.

Anne was relieved to see Ka’kwet give her a sweet smile at this.

\- Let’s talk about something brighter - suggested Anne smiling as well - what are you going to do now when you will not be returning to that...uhm...place? Baskets as previously?

\- Baskets are nice, a bit like your knitting - smiled Ka’kwet - I could show you one day. But there is another thing that I may try - she added - ...I heard from my father that you have met our healer? She checked me up a few days after my return...I am not sure you know our healers also care for the soul, do you? - Anne nodded, trying not to dwell too much of why Ka’kwet would need a soul healer in the first place, they were supposed to move on to the subject of future, right? - so she suggested - Ka’kwet continued - that there is nothing like healing for healing. 

Anne looked a bit confused.

\- She said - Ka’kwet explained - that she is already pretty old and has no apprentice yet. And seeing as I am a bright girl I could perhaps assist her and learn of the healer ways myself to step in when ready, when she will have to move on. 

Anne brightened at this. She knew from experience having dreams and ambitions help to combat any traumatic memories of the past. 

\- And would you like it? - she asked of her friend.

\- Oh, it sounds fun and is fun - answered Ka’kwet - I have already started to follow her around a bit. She tells me of the sickness of the body and the ways of the spirits, I observe how she approaches the ailing to find best way to restore them to balance...and she starts to show me all the herbal ingredients and remedies as well. This is a lot to learn and memorise. I hope I will manage to take it all in so as not to mix something up later when there is nobody to consult...I guess not all remedies are used equally frequently.

\- Why don’t you write it down? - Anne blurted out before she had time to check herself.

\- I don’t know how - answered Ka’kwet - they never taught us writing in the school, I guess they didn’t want to hand us a way to communicate with the outside yet. And before, I never learnt the Mi’kmaq glyphs, we use to learn by listening and remembering for the most part.

Anne pushed to the back of her mind the boiling anger at the nuns at school. And the urge to scream in excitement as she learnt of the existence of a writing system she never heard about. 

\- Would you like me to help you write it down perhaps? I could also teach you how to write so you can later continue on your own. - She suggested hesitatingly instead. She was still feeling a bit guilty on behalf of the people who mistreated Ka’kwet and wanted to do something to improve her friend’s general outlook at schooling that was once so rosy-coloured only to be shattered so - Or you can translate into glyphs once you learn them? You can read a bit, right? They taught that at least if I remember your tale correctly? 

\- Oh, this would work great - Ka’kwet said - I could be sure no knowledge will be lost, at least those recipes for sure. But - she hesitated - the healers rather not share the knowledge they have with the people outside the tribe, I would need to check with her if she is ok with you helping me...

The sun was going low over the horizon when the girls hugged and Anne started on her way home, promising Ka’kwet to be back soon to check if they can work together on the recording of herbs and things. While walking along the winding path (Belle was too occupied by the foal to embark on long rides yet) Anne thought how ironic it was - a few years ago she had to care for half a dozen small kids falling sick all the time and knew nobody with even remote knowledge of medicine, now no kids but fate pushed her way all the time people somehow connected with restoring health. Not that she minded too much. But then she moved her gaze from the trees to flowers blooming among grass framing the path and started planning what helping Ka’kwet with the notes would take.


	2. Work begins

It was a fine Saturday morning that Anne found herself walking back to the Mi’kmaq village again. Belle was still busy with early motherhood duties but Marilla reluctantly agreed for Anne’s longer absence today (Anne could not tell if she was more persuaded by Anne or afraid Matthew would again step in). Red breasted nut-hatchers were chirping away in the brambles and the trees were silently fighting with each other for light above her head. Finally she reached the clearing and found her friend waiting for her on the edge of the village.

\- I saw you on the path - Ka’kwet smiled - it is nice to see you.

\- Same here - replied Anne - how are you?

\- I am well. It is so good to be back. Where is your horse?

\- Oh, Belle has just had a baby! It already grew a bit but is so sweet nevertheless! I wish you could see it! You must come to my place soon.

\- I would like to very much. Is the baby as calm as its mum?

\- Well, not so much - smiled Anne - the little ones can be a bit mischievous - she added seeing Ka’kwet’s younger siblings peering curiously from behind nearest wigwam - and how is your apprenticeship going?

\- It is very interesting. Oh, I have already asked the healer if you can help me but she wants to see you before she makes a final decision. Let’s go find her, shall we?

They went through the village and Anne noticed Ka’kwet’s mother and a few of her neighbours gathered together next to the fire nodding pleasantly at her and smiling. She waved back as relief washed over her - she was still a bit afraid they would blame her for persuading Ka’kwet into going to that wretched school. They found the healer in the meadow on the other side of the village. She looked up when she heard them approaching and Anne immediately recognised the woman who stitched Moody’s leg wound. She felt a bit apprehensive when the woman spoke to her, taking her time and carefully searching for words, and Ka’kwet translating.

\- So you are the friend of Ka’kwet? She told me what you did and what it meant to her. Thank you for bringing her back to us. We worried but had no means to learn of her misfortune. Now she tells me you wish to help her in learning the healing ways while also teach her to write in your language. This is a noble intent - the healer paused for a moment, stooped and picked a handful of soil from the small mound the ferret left next to their feet, which she then hold up next to Anne’s braids. Red hues seemed curiously alike - You are truly of this island, Strong and Brave Heart. You may do.

During this speech Anne blushed and nodded and finally grinned enthusiastically while Ka’kwet’s face also brightened in a sweet smile. 

\- Oh, thank you for agreeing. I wish to help Ka’kwet so that she does not worry about forgetting anything and notes can help her so. And of course writing may come in handy for her one day. And I will not reveal anything we note to anybody unless you agree. Oh, I have already brought some paper and ink just in case with me so we can start as soon as Ka’kwet needs me.

Later in the day the girls found themselves again at the pond, the willow tree shaking its twigs at them, planning how they should set about the work.

\- Tell me how do you learn first - asked Anne - how does it look like when you follow the healer?

\- We talk to the sick, then she tends to them and I observe. Sometimes she will give me some small tips about certain ways to help in such case. Also we wander in the forest and meadow and she points out to me plants and some other things helpful for a healer - Ka’kwet stopped for a while, pondering - I think I would like most to note those tips and also write down the plants and their uses.

\- Okay, why don’t I drop in every week and you relate all that you learnt in the meantime? I will help you write it down by plant and by sickness...then we can spend some time on purely learning how to write and perhaps read cursive unless you already know the latter? The handwritten text? - clarified Anne seeing Ka’kwet questioning gaze.

\- No - she answered - I have only read printed English. Anne - Ka’kwet hesitated before putting her next thought into words - how can we set about noting down plants names? The healer often just points them out to me, we know only Mi’kmaq name for it.

Anne thought a bit and remembered the cook book she did for Mary and all the birthday cards her friends gifted her recently.

\- We could collect the plants samples and press them. Then we can stick them to the notes in correct places. And you can add Mi’kmaq names in glyphs once you learn them some day...coming to think of it I could borrow a book from my teacher and maybe add English names for you as well, just in case and for completeness of the thing?

The girls then set to work noting down on paper Anne brought all the tips Ka’kwet had already picked up. They then proceeded to the meadow to pick a few plants Anne would take home to press in one of her books to be added later to its respective descriptions. They separated in the early afternoon, having agreed on a date for a visit to the foal.

\- Take care of yourself - Anne waved at Ka’kwet, leaving for the forest - and don’t forget to arrange a basket weaving practice for me some day.

Ka’kwet was still laughing when Anne disappeared round the bend.


	3. Be my chaperone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know ep. 6 shattered our Shirbert expectations. Let us assume this chapter happens some time afterwards, when Anne and Gilbert somehow returned to a friendly companionship and share a normal everyday moment.**

Anne lingered behind in the classroom when the Queens practice class finished. She waited until all her fellow students left before approaching the teachers desk.

\- Ms Stacy, I wondered if you could borrow me a book. That is, if you have one I need.

\- What kind of a book do you need? Have you run out of romantic poems already? - she smiled warmly at her.

\- Oh, no! Still plenty of those and I love to reread them all the time. I was thinking rather about a book that tells you about plants in Canada. What they look like, their names, how to recognise them.

\- You mean a botanical dichotomous key book? Like this? - asked Ms Stacy handing Anne the book from her shelf.

Anne flipped through the pages quickly.

\- Yes, exactly this kind of book. A...dichotomous key - she repeated carefully - could I borrow it for an afternoon from time to time?

\- Of course - Ms Stacy was happy to help but also slightly curious at Anne’s sudden interest in botany - may I just ask you why this unexpected topic draws you so much?

\- Do you remember my article on Mi’kmaq people? I got quite friendly with a Mi’kmaq girl and am going to help her with her notes - she is learning to be a healer and needs to remember so many herbal properties. I thought we can add English names as well to the notes once we do it anyway.

Anne smiled and, having wished Ms Stacy good day, left.

***

Gilbert entered his kitchen and stopped short on the threshold, greeted by a sight of Anne sitting hunched over Delphine who was sleeping calmly on her lap. A book, pen and some notes lay forgotten on the table, next to a small candle casting flickering shadows all over the place and bringing out all different shades in Anne’s loose hair.

He was rendered speechless for a second for reasons he couldn’t fathom at the time (he had a moment of revelation only years later, remembering this particular fact just when a certain young man, while asking him for his youngest daughter hand in marriage, mentioned a similar scene as a point when that young man realised his feelings) as there was surely nothing scary neither in babies nor girls. Or even candles. For now he had no time to ponder further as Anne looked up, stood up and put Delphine tenderly into her basket, stroking the baby’s head gently before straightening up. 

\- Please tell Bash she has eaten an hour ago, her nappy is fresh and dry right now and I just got her to sleep... And she said her first word and it was ‚pipe’ - Anne laughed at his expression - Joking! I must run now.

She moved towards the table to collect her things. Gilbert took a step towards it as well, just to glance at the book she was reading. Botany? - he wondered briefly in his thoughts but then his eyes fell on a familiar set of hand written recipes adorned with wild flowers and reached out to pick them up for a better look. Anne quickly snatched them away.

\- Nope - she said - these are not cooking recipes of Mary or anybody else. You can’t look. 

\- Can I still ask what they are? - he teased.

\- Yes. I am helping Ka’kwet - she is my Mi’kmaq friend - note down what she is learning to become a healer. Right now I was using the botany key from Ms Stacy to put English names to the plants she collected. Not that Ka’kwet needs names so much for now having the pressed specimens themselves. But maybe it can be useful some day so I was adding them.

Gilbert felt a bit jealous of Anne. After Moody’s accident he was ever so interested in Indian practices that were apparently very advanced while certainly no textbook existed to learn them. 

\- It must be fascinating for you just to note it for her, you must learn a lot as well.

\- Actually I regret not having something like this while with the Hammonds or Thomases. It would have been handy when I had so many sick kids to attend to. It goes quite beyond onions in socks. - Anne registered Gilbert’s astonished expression and remembered he was not at the Barrys when Minnie May was ill - oh, for fever - she laughed - see I picked a few things here and there and at the orphanage we had a book.

\- What book? - Gilbert allowed to be side tracked from the subject of Mi’kmaqs.

\- Oh, the matron had it on the shelf in her antechamber. I used to peak into it every time I was waiting to speak to her as there was little else to do there. It was called 'Domestic Medicine or Plain Instructions in the Art of Preserving and Restoring Health by Simple and Efficient Means’*.

\- The matron was a medical person? - Gilbert asked surprised, making nonetheless a mental note to acquire such fantastic book himself.

\- No, I think she had the book so that she could take its advice instead of paying for doctor visits when a child would get sick.

\- Why can’t I see the notes of Ka’kwet? - Gilbert returned to the previous topic.

\- They do not like to share the knowledge with outsiders. 

Anne moved towards the door and put on her shawl. 

\- Can I ask you a favour Anne - Gilbert asked as she was about to leave.

She turned surprised.

\- Could you...uhm...chaperone me one day to Mi’kmaq village? I would very much like to meet that healer again. And your friend. And maybe one day they would let me just read your notes? - he smiled hopefully.

\- Well, this could be arranged. Just be sure to stock in on honey before. - Anne smiled - a peace offering cannot go amiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Yes, such book really exists. It was printed mid Xix th century in France and then translated. I read parts of it in my native language, highly reccommend :) great fun.
> 
> ——-
> 
> I just noticed that series 3 kind of twisted certain characters. Like Jane - who had little to say before, she just tugged along and existed - is now full of witty biting comments.  
And Gilbert who previously showed so much empathy for everyone including Anne (oh, remember the spelling bee for example) now seems to have same empathy for all but Anne (like the train and ditches scene, crocus scene, cold and onions, the whole fair thing, Josie). I know it would be boring if he was just a lovesick puppy but this seems a bit weird way of growing up.
> 
> **I know it is hard to squeeze everything into an episode of the show but seems to me that Anne amd Gilbert frankly have no opportunity in the series itself to be friendly in normal situations - I mean she is walking with Diana, chatting with girls, writing to Cole, joking with Jerry but with Gilbert it is always some grand situation like someone dying...in the books they had a chance of walks, studying etc.
> 
> Also on the fashion side in ep. 6 - can anybody explain 1. why Jane never bothered to dress for the fair like everyone else? 2. why Gilbert looks so short in this episode? Is Winnie’s family so tall or is this the effect of a new cap? 3. Anne is perhaps half a head taller than Diana, still Diana’s dresses fit her and are knee length, just as for Diana? 4. I hated that light blue dress Anne wore, but here ‚de gustibus’ I guess...


End file.
